Unfortunately, mistakes in pet-food stock handling can mean a product reaches the shelf when it should never have been shipped. Freshpet's June 2022 recall provides a documented example: the company said part of a lot intended for destruction had been sent to retailers by mistake. The explanation appears in Freshpet's original announcement.
The practical lesson is to look beyond the recipe when buying for your dog. Check the package, keep its identifying code, follow the storage directions and know where to check an alert. Then choose everyday supplements and cleaning products by their actual purpose, rather than treating every concern as the same problem.
Pet food storage and stock handling: two different checks
Storage concerns the conditions in which food is kept. Stock handling also concerns which batch is being selected and whether it should be released for sale. The Freshpet example illustrates an error in that release process; the company announcement did not identify a refrigeration failure as the cause. For adapting hands-on care to an older dog, see grooming adjustments for older dogs.
For owners, both checks belong in the routine. Knowing that a bag is within its printed date does not answer whether its specific lot is recalled. Equally, checking a recall notice does not replace following the label's storage instructions. The CDC's pet-food safety guidance recommends both avoiding recalled food and storing products as directed. For a different digestive-product category, see digestive enzymes versus other gut products.
The Freshpet recall example: what happened in June 2022?
The recall concerned a single lot of chicken-recipe dog food because of potential Salmonella contamination. Freshpet reported no illness, injury or adverse-reaction reports at the time of its announcement, and said other products and lot codes were not included in this particular recall. The FDA record now marks this historical recall as completed and terminated.
| Product | Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe |
|---|---|
| Package size | 4.5-pound bag |
| Retail UPC | 627975011673 |
| Sell-by date | October 29, 2022 |
| Date/code marking shown | 10/29/22 L3 |
| Announcement dates | Company announcement: June 17, 2022. FDA posting: June 18, 2022. |
| Reason | Potential Salmonella contamination |
The distribution described included certain Walmart stores in Alabama and Georgia, and certain Target stores and other retailers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia. See the company's distribution details; not every store in those locations was identified as affected.
This example is useful because it separates a recipe choice from a stock-control problem. The takeaway is not to assume that every product under a brand name is affected, but to check the particular batch against the relevant notice.
How to read a recall before changing what you buy
Start with the announcement date. Then match the product name, package size, UPC and lot or date marking. The Freshpet case above is an example from 2022, not a new alert about food currently on sale. For current information, use the FDA's animal-product recall listings and the manufacturer's current contact details.
Keep the original packaging or photographs of all identifying details. The FDA's pet-food complaint checklist asks for the full product name, package details and codes, along with purchase and storage information. Photographing the whole label is more useful than saving only the barcode.
As a practical household habit, check newly purchased food before it joins the supply you are already using. Keep any package you are querying separate from food you plan to serve until the seller or manufacturer has answered the question.
Five practical checks when buying and storing pet food
The following checklist combines the FDA's safe-handling advice and pet-food storage guidance.
| Check | What to do at home |
|---|---|
| Packaging | Choose intact bags, cans and pouches. Avoid visible tears, dents or discoloration. |
| Dry-food storage | Keep dry food in a cool, dry location below 80°F (about 27°C), in its original bag with the top securely folded down. |
| Refrigerated food | Follow the product's refrigeration directions. Promptly refrigerate leftover canned or pouched food in a covered container at 40°F (about 4°C) or below, or discard it. |
| Containers and batch details | Keep the original bag inside a storage container where possible. Wash and dry the container between bags rather than letting old crumbs and fat accumulate. |
| Hands and feeding equipment | Wash hands before and after handling food. Wash bowls and scooping utensils with hot, soapy water after use, and use a separate clean scoop rather than the feeding bowl. |
A simple way to put this into practice is to keep one small record for each open product: its name, code, opening date and storage instructions. This is an organizational suggestion, not a replacement for the directions on the package. An opening date is especially useful when the label sets a use-within period.
What to do if food is recalled or your dog seems unwell
Stop feeding a recalled product and follow the applicable notice's disposal or return instructions. Clean the feeding equipment and surfaces that contacted it. The CDC recommends keeping recalled or contaminated food out of your pet's diet.
Vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite or unusual inactivity after suspected exposure are reasons to contact your veterinarian. Salmonella can affect both pets and people, and some infected animals carry the bacteria without obvious illness. Anyone who becomes unwell after handling suspect food should contact a healthcare professional. See the FDA's explanation of Salmonella and pets.
Keep purchase details, package photographs and a timeline of what your dog ate and when signs appeared. The FDA's complaint instructions explain how to report a suspected problem. Reporting an illness helps investigation; it does not by itself prove what caused it.
Beyond the food bowl: build a targeted everyday care routine
Food safety is the foundation. For the main diet, look for an appropriate complete and balanced food. Supplements serve a different purpose: they add a specific care step to the diet. Dental, ear and eye products have their own roles as well. None of these products makes contaminated food safe or replaces treatment for a foodborne infection. For the home-prepared-food decision, see planning a complete homemade dog-food recipe.
Choose the Pure Majesty product that fits the need you are addressing, and give its label the same attention as the food label: formula, directions, storage and the correct method of use.
Liquid collagen for joint, skin and coat support
For a daily joint, skin and coat support routine, explore Pure Majesty Liquid Collagen for Dogs. Its liquid format provides an alternative to chew-based supplements and can fit into an existing feeding routine. Compare the formula and current serving guide on the product page, then choose the supply that matches your dog's directions. For the collagen-selection question, the collagen comparison by type and dose explains how to compare collagen type, measured serving and ingredient overlap. For the broader mobility decision, use the joint supplement comparison to compare the whole formula and the evidence for each ingredient.
Yeast-support drops for a skin, paw and ear routine
Pure Majesty Yeast Support Drops are an oral supplement formulated for skin, paw and ear support. The formula includes a postbiotic ingredient, which is different from a live probiotic. Explore the ingredient profile when choosing targeted support for that routine. These drops are given by mouth, not poured into the ears; persistent itching, redness or odor should be assessed rather than automatically attributed to yeast. If scratching is part of the picture, the guide to itch-relief options helps you separate relief measures from the work of finding the trigger. If ear odour or discharge accompanies the scratching, compare the signs and next steps for dog yeast infections; appearance alone cannot confirm yeast.
A liquid probiotic for everyday digestive support
Pure Majesty Liquid Probiotic for Dogs & Cats combines probiotics, prebiotic fibers and digestive enzymes in a liquid format. This is the product to compare when digestive support is your priority. Review the formula against other gut-health products already in use, and follow the bottle's serving and storage directions. New or persistent digestive symptoms need veterinary advice rather than an assumption that a supplement is the answer. If digestive signs are driving this decision, keep parasite testing in the conversation too: the dewormer coverage guide explains why a supplement label and confirmed parasite coverage are different things. When a probiotic is part of the feeding plan, the dog probiotic comparison helps you choose by named strain, formulation and current directions rather than CFU count alone.
Dental powder for an additional oral-care step
For a food-topper format, consider Pure Majesty Dog Dental Powder. Its listed ingredients include kelp, hydroxyapatite and sodium hexametaphosphate. It gives owners a dental-care step to add to meals, alongside brushing and veterinary dental care. Use the package's own serving guide and keep the container closed as directed; a powder does not replace professional removal of hardened tartar. If you are comparing a food-added dental product as well, use the dental powder evidence guide to distinguish daily plaque care from treatment of established dental disease.
Ear cleaner for routine wax and debris removal
Pure Majesty Dog Ear Cleaner is a 120 mL topical cleaning solution for routine ear hygiene. It has a different job from oral yeast-support drops: cleaning the ear rather than adding a supplement to food. Compare the formula and application directions on its product page. Pain, discharge or a suspected eardrum problem should be assessed before using a cleaner. When choosing a routine cleaner, use the ear cleaner comparison to compare current ingredients and directions; a cleaner is a separate choice from treatment for an infection. To make these care steps easier to repeat, see cooperative care and gentle handling.
Eye cleaner for routine debris and eye-area care
For an eye-specific cleansing product, explore Pure Majesty Dog Eye Cleaner, the 120 mL non-medicated eye-care formula. Keep it separate from ear products and follow its own application directions. Squinting, pain, cloudiness or a worsening eye problem needs veterinary attention rather than cosmetic cleaning alone. For routine debris around an otherwise comfortable eye, compare eye cleaners for routine debris and tear stains; this is a different task from treating a painful or inflamed eye. For a separate nutritional-support decision, compare eye supplements and what canine research supports rather than assuming an oral supplement replaces examination or eye treatment.
Make the next purchase purposeful. Start with the care need, open the relevant product page, compare its formula and select the appropriate supply. Keep the original label with every bottle or jar so the directions and identifying details remain easy to find.
Pet food storage and stock-handling questions
Does a product being within date rule out a recall?
No. A printed date and a recall notice answer different questions. Check the full set of identifiers in the notice, not just whether the package date has passed. The FDA's checklist treats the UPC, lot number and best-by information as separate details.
Can I pour dry food into a separate storage container?
The FDA recommends retaining the original bag; it can go inside the container. If you pour food out of the bag, keep the package information and use a clean, dry container. Wash and dry it before refilling.
Should I replace a complete diet with supplements after a recall?
No. Choose an appropriate replacement food when necessary, with veterinary guidance. Collagen, probiotics and other supplements serve their individual purposes alongside the diet; they are not complete meals or a way to salvage recalled food. The CDC's feeding guidance explains why the main diet needs to meet your pet's nutritional requirements. For how the feeding question changes with sustained work, see working-dog nutrition and energy needs.
UK guidance
For UK buying decisions, check the product label, intended feed category and stated daily amount. GOV.UK explains UK pet-food labelling and claims. Compare products on a like-for-like serving basis.